Automatic resistance cut-out for telephones



(No Model.) d 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. D. WRIGHT & G. A. FISHER.

AUTOMATIC RESISTANCE GUT-OUT FOR TELEPHONES.

N0. 288,90 9.- Patented Nov. 20, 1883.:

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v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. D. WRIGHT 8v 0. A. FISHER. AUTOMATIG RESISTANGE GUT- OUT EQR TELEPHONES.

(No Model.)

No. 288,909. Patented Nov. 20, 1883.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CHARLES D. XVRIGHT AND CHARLES A. FISHER, OF PETERSBUR-G, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC RESISTANCE CUT-OUT'FOR TELEPHONES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,909, dated November 20, 1883.

Application filed February 2, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that we, CHARLES D. WRIGHT and CHARLES A. FIsHER, both of Petersburg, in the county of Menard and State of Illinois, have invented a'new and Improved Automatic Resistance Gut-Out for Long-Circuit Telephones, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact description.

The object of our invention is to provide a new and improved attachment for telephoneinstruments, whereby all. the telephones on the line between the two'instrnments in communication with each other are cut-out automatically, and whereby the circuit is matcrially shortened and the resistance is decreased correspondingly.

The invention consists in the combination, with a telephone, of a local battery, a clock work mechanism for closing the circuit of the local battery, and devices for starting the said clockwork mechanism by means of the current of the line wires and an electromagnet in the circuit of the local battery, whereby, when the current of the main line passes through the instrument, it starts the clock-work mechanism, which closes the circuit of the local battery, whereby the armature of the electro-magnet in the circuit of the local battery will be attracted, and will thereby form a short circuit for the, current of the main line, so that the same will not pass through the telephone or other coils of the in-. strument, which is thus out out automatically.

The invention further consists in devices connected with the above-described mechanism for indicating or showing whether the instrument is cut out or not, and showing how long it will remain cut out.

The invention also consists in various parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter.

tail longitudinal sectional elevation of a part .of the box, showing the position of the key in an instrument that is not cut out. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevation of the wheel carrying the insulating-strips. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the same.

The line wires A A are secured to the binding-posts B B on the box 0. The post B is connected by a wire, a, with one end of the wire of the polarized electro-magnet C in the box, the other end of the wire of which magnet is connected by a wire, a, with the binding-post D, which is connected with one pole of the telephone or receiver E, the other pole of which is connected with the bindingpost D, which is connected by means of a wire, a, with the binding-post B. The binding-post B is connected by means of a wire, a with a hinge, F, which is connected by means of a wire, (6, with the frame G of an electro-inagnet G, which is secured on the bottom of the lid C of the box. The binding post B is connected by means of a wire, a with a hinge, F, which is connected by means of a wire, a, with a metal strip, G projecting from the under side of the lid and having its free or lower end bent rectangularly. The ends of the wire of the electro-magnet G on the under side of the lid C are connected by means of the wire (t and a, with the hinges F and F respectively. The hinge F is connected by means of a wire, a, with a contactdisk, H, secured to the inner surface of one s ide of the box. A contact-spring, J, is socured to the inner surface of the side of the box in such a manner that its free end is pressed against the contactdisk H, which spring J is connected by means of a wire, Z1, with a binding-post, K, which is connected with one pole of a local battery, L, the other pole of which battery is connected with a binding-post, K. A press-button or pin, J, pass ing through the side of the box, has its inner end resting against the spring J. A springlever, L, provided with a handle-knob, L is pivoted on the outer surface of the box, and if placed on the outer end of the pressbutton J presses the same against the spring J. A gong, M, is secured to the inner surface of the box in such a manner that when the spring J is pressed from the contact-disk H a small button at the end of the spring can strike the gong and sound the same. The hinge F is connected by means of a wire, I), with the frame N of a clock-work. In the said clockwork a wheel, 0, is mounted on one of the shafts O, which wheel is provided in its periphery with six notches, (l, and at each notch with a block, g, of insulating material, which appears 011 the upper surface of the wheel 0. A contact-spring, P, secured on the frame N, and insulated from the same by means of an insulating block or strip, P, has its free end resting on the wheel 0 in such a manner that if the wheel 0 revolves under the free end of the said spring the free end of the spring successively comes in contact with the insulating.- blocks 9 011 the wheel 0. The said spring is connected by means of a wire, b with the bi nding-post K. A locking-pawl, Q, pivoted to swing in the horizontal plane and adapted to pass into the notches d in the rim of the wheel 0, is connected with a curved wire, Q, to which a spring, R, is attached, which draws the wire Q and the locking-pawl Q toward the edge of the wheel 0, so that when the lockingpawl Q arrives at one of the notches d it will pass into the same and arrest the wheel 0. A rod, f, attached to the pendulous armature C of the polarized electro-magnet O, is provided at its free end with a ball or block, h, against which the free end of the curved wire Q rests. One of the arbors of the clock-work is provided at its upper end with a hand, S, which revolves over a dial, S, divided into six equal parts,which dial is so located that when thelid G is closed down 011 the box the dial will appear in a circular opening, m, in the lid of the boX.- The wheels in the clock mechanism must be so arranged that the hand S moves from one subdivision of the dial S to the next during the same time that passes from the time that one insulating-block g on the wheel 0 leaves the spring P until the next insulatingblock 9 is under the end of the spring. The electro-magnet G is provided with an armature, G adapted to swing to and from the ends of the magnet in the vertical plane, to which armature G a rectangular arm, T, is attached,which projects downward from the armature. To the free end of the said arm T a wire, V, is secured, the other end of which is secured to'a crankarm, V, on ashaft, W, journaled on the under side of the lid 0 and to which a small plate, Y, is secured, on which the words Off, Cut-out, or some other word having the same meaning is printed or otherwise produced. The plate Yis mounted on the shaft W in such a manner that when the current does not pass through the electromagnet when the lid 0 is closed, the said plate will hang down vertically, and will thus draw the armature G from the end of the magnet G. NVhen the current passes through the magnet G and the armature is attracted by thesame, the movement of the armature throws the plate .Y against the under side of the lid 0 so that the said plate will appear in the opening I in the lid of the box, and thus can be seen by personsv looking at the box.

The operation is as follows: Usually the end of the spring J rests on the contact-disk H, and only when the two instruments are to be placed in communication the end of the spring J is removed fromthe contact-diskHby pressing the pin J inward and holding it in position by means of the spring-lever L, as shown in Fig. 8. WVhen the instrument is at rest and not being used, the free end of the spring P rests 011 one of the insulating-blocks g on the wheel 0, and the said wheel is locked in position by the pawl Q, which is in one of the notches (Z of the wheel. The current enters through the line-wire A at the binding-post B and passes through the wire a, around the polarized electromagnet 0, through the wire a, the binding-post D, the telephone E, back to the binding-post D, and through the wire a to the line-wire A. The current passing through the polarized magnet O attracts one end of the pendulous armature G, and thereby the arm f is swung in the direction of the arrow m, Fig. 1, and pressed against the curved wire Q, connected with the pawl Q, and thereby the pawl Q is drawn out of the notch (I,

thus releasing the wheel 0 and permitting the same to be operated by the clock-work mechanism. As soon as the wheel 0 is operated it begins to turn, and that insulating-block on which the spring P has rested is moved or drawn from under the free end of the said spring, which thus comes in contact with the metallic surface of the wheel 0 and establishes an electrical communication between the local battery L and the wheel 0, as the said local battery is connected with the spring P by means of the wire 6 The current will then be from the local battery L to the hind ing-post K, the wire b the spring P, the wheel 0, the frame N of the clock-work mechanism, the wire I), the hinge F, the wire a, the electro -magnet G, the wire a the hinge F, the wire a, the contact-disk H, the spring J, the wire I), the binding-post K, and back to the local battery. As the current of this local battery passes through the electro-magnet G, it attracts the armature G of the same and swings it in the direction of the arrow 02., Fig. 2, thereby establishing contact between the arm T of the armature and the metal strip G on the under side of the lid 0 which metal strip G is connected by means of the wire a with the hinge F, which in turn is connected by means of the wire a with the binding-post 13. If the parts are in the above-described position, the current that enters the instrument through the line-wire A at the post B passes from the said post through the wire a to the hinge F, the wire a* to the frame G of the electro-magnet G, through the frame and the armature G the arm T, the metal strip G", and the wires a and a to the binding-post B, and out through the line-wire A, as the resistance in the lastdescribed line is much less than in the polarized magnet C, or, in other words, the current passes the instrument without passing through the electro-magnets or through the telephone or receiving instrument E, whereby the resistance is materially dimiir ished and the personat the instrument is not able to hear the words transmitted through the line-wires A A, as the current of the same will not pass the telephone or receiver. Every instrument on the line is cut out in the same manner as described above. As the armature G is attracted by its magnet, it swings the plate Y against the under side of the cover or lid CE in the direction of the arrow 0, and thus shows the word Off in the aperture 1, and shows the proprietor of the instrument that he is cut out. The wheel 0 continues to revolve until the pawl Q arrives at the next notch d, and then the spring R draws the end of the pawl. into the said notch, (for, as the current has ceased to pass through the magnet O, the armature G will be released by this time,) and thus cuts out the local battery, and then the instrument will be in communication with the line again. If the parties communicating withfeach other wish to continue their conversation, the intervening instruments must be cut out again in the manner described above. The hand S rotates the same as the wheel 0, and will thus indicate to the proprietor oi the instrument that he is cut out, and how long he must wait until the instrument will be in communication again, as the hand S stops every time the wheel 0 stops and begins to rotate as soon as the wheel 0 begins to retate. At that instrument at which the message is to be received the local battery must not be brought into circuit, and to prevent this the button J is pressed inward, as shown in Fi g. 3, and breaks the electrical connection between the spring J and the contactdisk H. The circuit of the local battery cannot be completed, for when the current passes through the wire af'to the disk H it cannot pass from the same to the spring J. As soon as the spring- ].ever L is removed the spring J will press the pin J out again, and the electrical contact between the spring J and the disk H will be completed, and the instrument can be out out like the rest.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a telephone, of a local battery, a clock-work mechanism, shuntcircniting devices, and an electro-magnet in the circuit of the local battery, the frame of the said magnet being connected with one pole of the line-wires, and of a strip adapted to be brought in contact with an arm on the armature of the said magnet, the said strip being in connection with the other binding-post of the line-wires, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a telephone, ofa local battery, aclock-work mechanism provided with a series of insulating-blocks and connected with one pole of the local battery, a spring resting on the wheel, provided with the insulating-blocks, and connected with the other pole of the local battery, of an electromagnet for releasing the clock-work mechan ism, which eleetromagnet is in the circuit of the line-wires, and of an electro-magnet in the circuit of thelocal battery, the contacts T G, and the wires of a, for the purpose of shortcircuiting the circuit of the line-wires, sub stantially as herein shown and described.

- '3. The combination, with a telephone, of a local battery, a clock-work mechanism con nected with one pole of the local battery, which clock-work mechanism is provided with a wheel having a series of insulating-blocks, a spring connected with the other pole of the local battery and resting on the said wheel, provided with the insulating-blocks, a pawl for locking the said wheel, an electro-magnet in the circuit of the main line, and provided with devices for releasing the said pawl from the wheel, and an elcctro-magnet in the circuit of the local battery and provided with connections adapted to cut the telephone out of the main line, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a telephone, of a local battery, a clock-work mechanism pro vided with a wheel, 0, having a series of insulating-blocks, 5/, arranged at suitable intervals, and notches d at the said blocks, the spring P resting on the upper surface of the wheel 0 and connected with one pole of the local battery, the other pole of which is connected with the clock-work mechanism, the pawl Q, adapted to pass into the notches d, an electro-1nagnet for withdrawing the pawl Q, from the notches d, and an electro-magnet in the circuit of the local battery, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with a telephone, of a 7 local battery, a clock-work mechanism provided with a wheel, 0, having insulatingblocks g, a spring, P, an electro-magnet for releasing the wheel 0 of the clock-work mechanism, an electro-magnet in the circuit of the local battery, of the dial S, divided into the same number of parts as the wheel 0, and of the hand S, adapted to revolve above the dial S with the same speed as the wheel 0, substantially as herein shown and described, andfor the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with a telephone, 01" the local battery L, a clock-work mechanism for closing the circuit of the local battery, the electromagnet G in the circuit of the local battery, and connected with one of the hinding-posts of the line-wires, the arm T on the armature of the magnet G, and the contactstrip G", connected with the other bindingpost of the line-wires, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with a telephone, of magnet inthe circuit of the local battery, a the magnet G, the armature G the arm T, spring, J the contact-disk H, ancl'the pushthe wire V, the shaft WV, provided with a button J, substantially as herein shown and crank, V, and the plate Y, attached to the described, and for the purpose set forth.

1 1 H 77 5 shaft W and provided with the weld Off CHARLES DOUGLAS WRIGHT.

or Cut out substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. CHARLES ANDRE? FIDSHERF 8. The combination, with a telephone, 0f \Vitnesses: the local battery L, a clock-work mechanism EDWARD G. FISHER, IO for closing the circuit of the same, an electro JAMES C. BisHoP. 

